Cleah Hetherington
BBC Radio Suffolk

A man due to be convicted shortly of murdering a husband and wife has said he "would never kill". 

Ali Qazimaj, 43, formerly of Tilbury, Essex, is being sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court of killing Weybread couple Sylvia and Peter Stuart. 

The prosecution has argued the murders were "premeditated and planned".

In a statement read out by the defence, Qazimaj maintained his innocence.

He said: "I am a just man who would never kill a man let alone two people. I would like you to understand you are sentencing a man who is innocent."

The defence said Qazimaj, who showed no emotion in court, would fight to clear his name.

Mr Stuart was found stabbed to death near the couple's home on 3 June. Mrs Stuart's body has not been found.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

Police used a baton gun to help detain a man in West Mersea in Essex yesterday afternoon.

Image source, Google

Police were contacted at 16:30 following concerns for the welfare of a man in Kingsland Road (pictured).

Officeres used a baton gun to detain a 27-year-old man from the Colchester area. The guns were introduced in 2001 and fire rubber bullets,

The man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and was taken to hospital. He was treated for minor injuries before being discharged.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

One of UKIP's biggest donors, the millionaire Arron Banks, says he's been suspended from the party after his outspoken criticism of its new leader and its only MP, Clacton's Douglas Carswell (pictured).

But a UKIP spokesman said Mr Banks had failed to renew his membership and it had lapsed.

Seventy-six years ago this month, a photographer caught on camera a baker's roundsman delivering bread while wearing his gas mask, during a gas drill in Southend.

Image source, Getty Images

Another photograph was taken of a warden giving directions to a mother and her two children during the same drill.

Image source, Getty Images

As we've been reporting, the man convicted of killing Suffolk couple Peter and Sylvia Stuart will be sentenced today .

Ali Qazimaj, 43, formerly of Tilbury, Essex, was found guilty of two counts of murder at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday. The couple had last been seen at a farm shop at Pulham Market, Norfolk.

Here's a look back at how the investigation unfolded.

BBC Sport

Southend United and Colchester United are both in action tonight.

Image source, get

Southend boss Phil Brown (pictured) will be looking for their second win in six games when the Blues travel to Coventry. 

Colchester host Mansfield with both sides on the edge of the League Two play-off places. 

Commentary of both those games is on BBC Essex from 19:00. 

An eye hospital on board a jet plane makes its first visit to the UK.

The Countess of Wessex, an ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, has described Orbis' latest Flying Eye Hospital as "a unique and inspiring instrument in the fight against avoidable blindness".

Image source, Getty Images

The jet has been on show at Stansted Airport, and Sophie saw its predecessor in action in Kolkata, India in 2013.

She said: "I observed everything from the most simple cataract surgery using basic cost-effective techniques, to a complex prosthetic surgery restoring sight to a man who had been blind for fourteen years. 

"These medical interventions, however small, act as a platform to lift communities and countries out of poverty."

Image source, Getty Images

Magistrates have today been granted officers an extension for two men, aged 21 and 37, to remain in custody for a further 36 hours for questioning following the fatal stabbing of a teenager.

The 19-year-old man was found with stab wounds after a fight at a house in East Hanningfield Road, at Rettendon Common, just before midnight on Saturday. 

He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.

Essex Police has tweeted about misuse of its 999 service...

An eye hospital based on a jet airliner is on show at Stansted Airport as it promotes a campaign to provide better healthcare in developing countries. 

The MD-10 is the third version of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, external and is making its first visit to the UK since it came into service in June.

It can provide on-board surgery, but also training for health workers. Take a guided tour:

"Operation Sight" aims to raise enough money to provide 100,000 training sessions and improved facilities at 30 hospitals in Africa and Asia. 

This year the plane is due to visit Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

Essex Police are continuing to question two men on suspicion of murder following the fatal stabbing of a teenager in Rettendon, near Chelmsford, at the weekend.

Police were called to reports of a fight at a house in East Hanningfield Road, at Rettendon Common, just before midnight on Saturday. 

The 19-year-old man was found with stab wounds. He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.

A post-mortem examination has found the victim died from a single stab wound to the neck.

Three others arrested as part of the inquiry have been released without charge.   

Kate Kinsella
BBC Look East weather

It's a rather cloudy start perhaps with patchy light rain possible. Through the day some bright or sunny intervals will develop and feeling mild, especially in the sunshine with a high of 14C (57F).

Here's my full forecast...

There are more details on the BBC Weather website .

Nic Rigby
BBC News

Good morning and welcome to BBC's Local Live page for Essex.

Through the day, we'll bring you news, sport, weather and travel, and we'd love to hear from you as well. You can email us  here.

Weather will be coming shortly.

A new deal to secure the air link between Dundee City Airport and London Stansted for another two years has been announced.

That's the end of our live updates for this gloriously sunny day.

If you scroll down below, you'll see it's been a busy day here for the Essex Live team.

Former Tilbury man Ali Qazimaj, accused of killing Suffolk couple Sylvia and Peter Stuart, was found guilty.

The jury returned its verdict in less than four hours after the month-long trial.

We'll bring you more news, travel, sport and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but any breaking news updates will be published here overnight.

Have a great evening.

Police investigating a murder near Chelmsford at the weekend have been granted extra time to question two men.

A 19-year-old man died after being stabbed in the neck on Saturday night at a property in East Hanningfield Road, Rettendon Common.

Five men were arrested. Three have been released without charge, the other two - aged 21 and 37, are to remain in custody for a further 36 hours for questioning, police said.

A cat and her eight kittens have been rescued after a dog walker found them zipped up in a suitcase on a disused railway line.

The woman's dog spotted the case in a remote spot between Great Yeldham and Castle Hedingham last Tuesday. She then heard tiny miaows coming from inside and opened it up to find the nine felines inside.

Image source, RSPCA

The cats were taken to the RSPCA where they were found to be very thin and the mother cat dehydrated.

The kittens have all been named after characters from Disney's 1970 film The Aristocats, external - Toulouse (male, tabby/white), Tiny Tim (male black/white), Scat Cat (male, tabby), Berloiz (male, black), Alli (male tabby), Duchess (female tabby), Marie (female, black), Eve (female tabby). 

Their mum has been named Tarini.

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

A dry night across the BBC East region with the cloud thinning and breaking at times with a lowest temperature of 6C (43F) and a gentle west to south-westerly wind.    

It’ll remain dry tomorrow with spells of sunshine and highs of 16C (61F) and a light-to-moderate west to south-westerly wind.

For more detail on where you are, visit BBC Weather .

Image source, Diss Express

Police have said they will continue to search for missing Sylvia Stuart.

Ali Qazimaj, 43, formerly of Tilbury, Essex, has been found guilty of killing Mrs Stuart and her husband Peter.

Mr Stuart's body was found stabbed to death close to the couple's home in Weybread, near Eye. Mrs Stuart's body has still not been found but she is presumed dead.

Det Ch Insp Andy Guy said: "The investigation into the homicide is complete, with the verdict today, but we will continue to look for Sylvia and if there's any information the public have we'll act on it."

When asked if Qazimaj is likely to reveal where her body is, Det Ch Insp Guy said: "He will get an opportunity, and I hope he does, but personally I'm doubtful he will.

"Historically, people who are convicted of homicides with no body murders don't tend to give up where they've deposited the victims, but maybe this will be different."